Research Grants
Standards Required for their Administration:
Administrating Body
1) Grants are normally administered through an organisation (e.g. university, local authority, voluntary body) in which the researcher is employed. Confirmation of the organisation's willingness to accept responsibility for the work to be undertaken and for administering the grant is a precondition to any award. Where applicable, applicants for grant shall have the support of the Head of the Department in which the researcher is employed. Where an applicant is not employed in an established organisation, he may be asked to make special arrangements for sponsorship.
Application
2) The application for grant shall include a full description of the content, methodology, details of its estimated duration (including time necessary to prepare and submit a final report to the Council) and cost (excluding costs of publication of the report). The programme and budget shall be furnished on the basis of calendar years showing the number and grades of staff required, their salary costs, the amounts required for equipment, travelling and subsistence, stationery and telephone charges, and specifying any other costs.
3) The application shall be based on current costs. The administering organisation will be free without prior approval of the Council to assimilate staff authorised to work on the project at the same point into revised national pay scales following national pay awards. The applicant may request increases to any grant awarded to cover any other price increases that may occur during its tenure.
Staff
4) The Council shall be informed of the curriculum vitae and publications of the applicant (and any other principal investigator). Brief particulars shall be given of the grade, qualifications and proposed salary of any other staff expected to work on the project.
5) The administering organisation shall accept full responsibility as employer for all the staff engaged on the work. The Council will not indemnify the organisation against claims for compensation or other claims for which the latter may become liable as employer.
Equipment
6) The administering organisation shall take all reasonable steps to satisfy itself that equipment is purchased at fair and reasonable prices.
7) The Council reserves the right to claim ownership of major items of equipment purchased with its grant when the project is completed or in agreement with the administering organisation to take credit for its value in the final instalment of the grant.
Travel expenses and subsistence
8) Travelling expenses and subsistence necessarily incurred in connection with the project will be eligible for grant at the normal rates allowed by the administering organisation. Payment should be made direct to the persons concerned and the amounts paid should be included in the next account rendered.
Payment of grant
9) Unless the Council determines otherwise, payment of grant will be made quarterly in arrears on the basis of claims submitted by the administering organisation on the forms provided. Accounts should be rendered at the end of each quarter to Andrea Tilouche.
Management and Reports
10) Any grant awarded by the Council is given on the understanding that it is to be used specifically for the purposes of the project submitted by the applicant. Should the Grant Holder wish to depart significantly from the approved scheme of research, he should seek the prior consent of the Council. The Council may at any time discuss the direction of the research with the Grant Holder.
11) If the research involves National Health Service patients, the Grant Holders must obtain the necessary clearance from the appropriate health authority, and the relevant ethics committee.
12) Unless the Council determines otherwise the Grant Holder shall submit an annual progress report to Andrea Tilouche. The Council reserves the right to ask for a brief progress report at other times. On conclusion of the project, the applicant shall send to Andrea Tilouche three copies of a final report describing in full the method and findings of the research. The Council reserves the right to withhold the final installment of a grant pending the receipt of a satisfactory final report.
Publication of Results
13) It is the general intention of the Council that the results of research which it has supported should be published wherever possible. The support of the Council should be acknowledged in any publication unless the Council requests otherwise. A complimentary copy of any publication resulting from the research supported by grant should be sent to Andrea Tilouche.
14) Under its Statement of Purpose the Council is committed to generate and disseminate research-based evidence to inform and influence policy and practice. To implement the statement the Council has reviewed its publications' policy and decided to disseminate more widely the knowledge gained from its research and action projects. This will be done principally by:
- publishing a series of lay summaries entitled Alcohol Insights;
- making reports more accessible to researchers, educators and policy makers.
15) It is a requirement of any grant that the Grant Holder will provide a report in a standard form and draft an Alcohol Insight.
General
16) The Council reserves the right to attach any specific conditions to the making of a grant and at any time to terminate an award subject to reasonable notice and payment of such final installment as may be necessary to cover outstanding and unavoidable commitments.
17) The conditions and the arrangements for the administrations of a grant are set out in a formal agreement between the Council, the grant holder and the grant administrator. This covers the responsibilities of each party and matters such as the submission of reports and financial management.
